Chapter 19

Xiao Baoshan could almost be sure that Xie Xian had come up with this plan for him because of the emperor’s instructions. However, if he wanted to remove his bloodline as a yellow gatekeeper that was embedded in his bones, he would feel pain in his heart on top of his flesh.

Even if everything was as the Emperor had promised and Xie Xian had guaranteed.

It was easy to resign. He just had to hand over a memorial, and Emperor Yu Heng probably couldn’t wait to directly seal it with his imperial seal. However, he really had no control over when he could recover his position. It all depended on the emperor’s mood. When he found him pleasing to the eye and his father pleasing to the eye, he would then likely think of him.

He didn’t even dare to imagine what would happen if his father wasn’t as invincible as before. If his father suffered a defeat, wouldn’t he have resigned from his official position for nothing?

At this thought, he was afraid.

No matter how well Xie Xian spoke, or how well the emperor spoke, who could say what would happen in the future?

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But so what if he couldn’t bear it or have other ideas? Who in the world could go against the emperor’s wishes? As for Xie Xian showing off in front of him and then running to his stepmother to continue showing off, how could he say anything?

Or did he do that to show to the emperor that the mission had been more difficult than expected so that he can gain favor with the emperor?

Indeed, he lived up to the slanders of the outside world!

…

Emperor Yu Heng, who was far away in the Imperial City, suddenly sneezed.

Which other idiot was it who was intending to rebel or scold him at the rally?!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He replied to Xiao Yun’s memorial: No matter who was rebelling, kill them on the spot, there is no need to bring them back to Jiankang! Kill with no pardon!

Not to mention how Xiao Baoshan was struggling in the mansion, Xiao Baoxin was in an unprecedented rage after tossing and turning in bed. The wooden stake in the yard was even broken into pieces by her kicks. And her blanket laid exposed on the ground like a flower that had been kicked to form seven petals.

The Xiao Clan was currently in the limelight and everyone in Jiankang City was after them.

The Yuan family and the Xiao family were engaged, and the Cai family’s Madam was from the Yuan family, so their relationship was complicated. Those who were watching the show naturally placed their attention on the Yuan family and waited for them to express their stance.

The patriarch of the Yuan family was clearly on the Cai family’s side. She could tell from the fact that he had submitted a memorial to report Xiao Baoshan. Who knew that at this time, Yuan Chen would suddenly write a poem for her? The news spread like wildfire.

Phrases like ‘looks like peach blossoms’ or ‘aura is outstanding’.

He did not openly stand on anyone’s side, nor did he have any intention of supporting the Xiao Family. However, different people deciphered different intentions. This poem was believed to be supporting her—

Just her.

This was to show that his love was stronger than gold, and that his will was unshakable.

This poem swept through the entire city in an instant. It spread far and wide, and the speed at which it spread was no less than that of the matter of Xiao Baoshan’s family and the first wife.

This was the capability of Yuan Chen, a famous scholar in Jiankang!

And Yuan Chen’s action undoubtedly won the admiration of countless girls for him, fulfilling their fantasies about devoted men. Of course, there were also countless young men rolling their eyes.

However, none of this had anything to do with Xiao Baoxin. Her anger would only rise exponentially with how widely the poem was circulated.

On one hand, he was fooling around with all kinds of men and women. On the other hand, he was using his talent to write all sorts of poems to embellish himself. He was using her as a stepping stone to trample on her.

The problem was that although he did not mind her as a stepping stone hurting his feet, she found his feet smelly!

“Oblivious!”

Xiao Baoxin was so angry that her lungs were about to explode. Her words frightened all the maids and grannies in the room, especially her nanny, Granny Sun. Her face suddenly turned pale.

“Eldest Miss, watch your words!”

She was around 35 or 36 years old. She had a delicate and pretty oval-shaped face. She had an upright appearance, and her character was even more upright than her appearance.

“You are the daughter of a noble family, how can you say such malicious words!”

In order to teach her daughter well, Madam Xie had done everything according to the standards of the aristocratic families. She had hired the most famous female teachers in Jiankang City to teach her the four arts. Even before Xiao Baoxin was born, she had already chosen Granny Sun, who could read, write, had a strong appearance, looked beautiful and had a sweet voice, as her nanny.

All so that she had to have a good background, looks, and marriage.

However, everything went smoothly for Granny Sun until six years ago, her husband caught a cold and died. In order to avoid Madam Xie’s contempt, Granny Sun went home and stayed for two years. After that, it was really hard for her to make a living, so she begged Madam Xie to return to the Xiao Residence.

When Granny Sun first came to the Xiao Residence, it was Madam Xie’s intention. After her husband died and fell into dire straits, she returned to the Xiao Residence because of Madam Xie. Because she was a widow with a pair of children and still had to provide for her in-laws, Madam Xie even gave her monthly pay.

It could be said that the turning point of her life was all because of Madam Xie. Hence, she treated Madam Xie like her source of faith. Whatever Madam said was right.

Madam Xie imposed the standard expectations of a noble lady on Xiao Baoxin, and Granny Sun became Xiao Baoxin’s most ardent enforcer of these rules. Whenever she did anything out of line, she would be the first to advise her.

She also had to report to Madam Xie day and night, as though she was spying on an enemy in her courtyard.

If not for the fact that she was an orphan and a widow, Xiao Baoxin would have already asked her to leave.

Putting everything else aside, she felt as if her back was being stabbed every day by this person who was repeating every word and action of her mother and even reporting back to her.

Which other nanny doesn’t have the same heart as the child they raised?

Yet this person lived like a believer of her mother. It was said that she even wanted to set up a longevity tablet for her mother and burn three incense sticks every morning and night. It was only because her mother was afraid of losing her good fortune that she stopped her.

“Granny, this is what you call ruining someone’s reputation!

Xiao Baoxin was so angry that her pretty face was red, and her eyes were spewing fire. “Who would know him! Writing poems to different people every other day? Other than taking advantage of others, what else can he do?!”

Granny Sun rebuked, “That’s your future husband!”

Xiao Baoxin sneered. “Granny also said it’s the future. Who can say for sure what will happen in the future? He might even be someone else’s husband.”

“Sister, I shouldn’t have brought it in front of you…” Xiao Jingai from the second family branch looked at the handkerchief that had Yuan Chen’s poem being thrown on the ground. She looked apologetic.

“I just thought that Sister would be happier if she saw it, so I copied it for you.”

She had just passed her 14th birthday and was one year younger than Xiao Baoxin. She was only below Xiao Baoxin’s ears. She had a delicate figure, thin eyebrows, long eyes, and was elegant and refined. She looked pitiful.

Xiao Baoxin’s beauty was flamboyant and sharp, but Xiao Jingai was different. She was elegant, delicate, and pitiful. It was a kind of beauty that did no harm.

“This is not your fault.” Although Xiao Baoxin was angry, she did not vent her anger on others.

Especially this cousin of hers. She was delicate, weak, and had a heavy heart. A single sentence was enough to make her wish she were dead. She did not want her words to hurt her feelings.

“Indeed, I didn’t think things through properly. No matter what, the two of you aren’t married yet, so I shouldn’t have mentioned it in front of Sister.”

Xiao Jingai hesitated and said, “It’s just that I heard that the Young Master of the Yuan Family was talented and deeply in love with Sister. Sister, you are so unhappy. Is there a misunderstanding?”

Misunderstanding?

Thinking that he was infatuated with her was the biggest misunderstanding!